What to look for when researching lacrosse colleges:

When researching potential colleges, it is important to consider the school's academic reputation, the quality of the lacrosse program, the coaching staff, the facilities, the team's competitive history, and the cost of attendance. Additionally, it is important to research the school's location, the student body, and the surrounding community. Remember at the end of the day you are a STUDENT-athlete and being a student comes first. If you don’t see yourself at the college not playing lacrosse, then it is not the right fit for you. It is also important to be realistic about your skills and academic abilities when narrowing down your list. It is ok to have reach schools, but a majority of your list should contain schools where you are most likely to succeed on and off the field.

Benefits of using IWLCA Recruits/Connectlax, NCSA, and other lacrosse recruiting websites:

1. College coaches can easily find and evaluate potential recruits in one location.
2. Streamlined communication with college coaches directly on the platform where they can access your recruiting information, highlight videos, and what tournaments and showcases you will be attending.
3. Access to resources such as videos, articles, and other information that can help potential recruits make informed decisions about their college lacrosse career.

Tips for creating an effective lacrosse recruiting profile and effective highlight video:

1. Make sure your profile is up-to-date and includes all relevant information about your lacrosse experience, such as your position, team, and stats.
2. Include a highlight video that showcases your skills and abilities.
3. Make sure to include contact information so coaches can reach out to you.
4. Make sure to include any awards or honors you have received, and upload your transcript and standardized test scores if you are pursuing strong academic schools.
5. Reach out to college coaches and let them know about your profile, highlight video, and what tournaments and showcases you will be attending.
6. Ask for feedback from club coaches and use it to improve your profile and highlight videos.
7. Stay active on social media and use it to promote your profile and highlight videos.

Understanding NCAA lacrosse recruiting rules, regulations, and recruiting calendar:

The NCAA has specific rules and regulations for women's lacrosse recruiting. The NCAA recruiting calendar is divided into three periods: the quiet period, the contact period, and the dead period. During the quiet period, coaches are not allowed to have any in-person contact with recruits or their parents. During the contact period, coaches are allowed to have in-person contact with recruits and their parents, as well as make phone calls and send emails. However, Division I college coaches can only begin reaching out to athletes on September 1st of their junior year. These rules do not apply to Division III college coaches.

Early recruiting tips and tricks:

1. Start the recruiting process early.
2. Reach out to college coaches and introduce yourself.
3. Attend college lacrosse camps and individual girls lacrosse showcases of your top choice schools.
4. Create a highlight video of your best plays.
5. Make sure your grades are up to par.
6. Network with other players and coaches.
7. Stay active on social media.
8. Follow the college lacrosse programs you’re interested in.
9. Make sure your contact information is up to date.
10. Keep your highlight video updated with your most recent tournaments and showcases.

Why it is important to attend lacrosse showcases:

Attending lacrosse showcases and camps provides middle and high school players with an extremely competitive experience, coached by college coaches, and the chance to step up and show their skills in a small-group multifaceted setting. Not only do you get to learn valuable skills from knowledgeable college coaches, but you also get to showcase your abilities in different ways from the full-field only tournament-style events. Additionally, they provide an opportunity for players to network and make connections with players and coaches from across the country. Players can get a sense of the coaching style and personality of the college coaches on staff at their top schools as well.

How to make the most of your recruiting process:

1. Start early: Begin your recruiting process as early as possible to give yourself the best chance of success. Start by freshman year if you are pursuing the D1 level.
2. Research: Research the schools you are interested in and make sure they are a good fit for you.
3. Network: Reach out to coaches and players to get an inside look at the program.
4. Showcase: Attend lacrosse showcases and tournaments to get noticed by coaches.
5. Be proactive: Reach out to coaches and let them know you are interested in their program.
6. Be organized: Keep track of your recruiting process and stay organized.
7. Be patient: The recruiting process can take time, so be patient and stay focused.

Let’s review! You now have the knowledge you need to build your potential college list, create a killer online lacrosse profile and highlight video, get in contact with college coaches, and maximize your elite recruiting session by attending girls lacrosse showcases and camps. Have you checked off the first three items on your lists, but don’t know where to start for the best girls lacrosse recruiting showcases in your area? Top Threat Tournaments offers the ultimate showcase experience with the top Division I college coaches in the country. Click here to learn more and join us in 2023 to gain exposure and experience.

About Top Threat Tournaments: Providing a platform for the nation's girls lacrosse players and teams, Top Threat Tournaments hosts premiere girls lacrosse tournaments and showcases predominantly located in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and beyond. With a staff who has been in the industry for over 15 years, Top Threat Tournaments sources marquee facilities to best serve the lacrosse community. Each event is unique including options for full-field play with top-level college recruiting opportunities, small-sided competitions, and showcases to learn and grow as an athlete. Our focus is on building a quality player experience to help athletes reach their full potential.